Corona del Mar freshman Boudreau set to chart her own course

In her first high school cross-country race, Annabelle Boudreau feared that she might lose track of the course if she ran in front of the field.

That is not a feeling that she plans to experience often. The freshman is as calculated as they come. From the wristwatch that she wears during races to her four-year plan, every possibility is accounted for.

Boudreau knows where she should be, where she wants to be and what is expected of her. Those working with her are cautious to project those expectations, but it is Boudreau who is setting the bar high.

“My first thing to her was, ‘What does she know?’ Sea Kings coach Bill Sumner said. “I asked her, ‘What does the next four years look like to you?’ Holy moly, she wrote me a whole page.”

“‘Foot Locker, Nike Team Nationals.’ It was crazy. She obviously knows that she is one of the top 50 freshmen in the United States right now, and she is going to try to trim that down.”

Sumner is certain that Boudreau will write her own story. As the sheet of goals she handed in to her coach reveals, she has quite an extensive list of things she would like to accomplish before it is all said and done.

On that wish list is at least one state championship. Sumner has had close ties to some who have gone where Boudreau would like to end up.

In 2004, Shelby Buckley won the Division 3 state title with Fullerton Rosary. Buckley would finish out her high school career as a Sea King, adding three more top-five performances at the state meet before competing for UCLA and USC.

After finishing seventh at the state meet the year prior, CdM’s Annie St. Geme saw the dream realized as she won the individual championship in 2005, her senior season. That Sea Kings team had three runners place inside the top 10 at state (Buckley, 5th; Allison Damon, 8th). They would go to Nike Nationals.

St. Geme placed second at nationals, with the Sea Kings earning sixth as a team.

“In my early experience with [Boudreau], I saw a resemblance with those kinds of kids,” Sumner said.

Boudreau is drawing these comparisons after just one high school race. She finished third among all female runners in the Laguna Hills Invitational on Sept. 9, winning the Division 3 freshman race in 18 minutes 30 seconds.

Having her name mentioned with talents such as Buckley and St. Geme is an honor, but there are several components that make Boudreau deserving of the praise. First and foremost, she recognizes that passion for her sport is a must to get to the top.

“The passion is what really makes you go further in this sport,” Boudreau said. “Without it, it’s not for yourself anymore.”

“All along, no one was really pushing me to run. It was just something that I kind of enjoyed out of passion.”

Boudreau got her start at age 7, when she ran a 5-mile road race with her father, Mark. She was going to watch the race with her mom, Patricia, but Boudreau did not want to sit on the sidelines while her older siblings Kate, Jane and Christian participated.

As the years passed, the family continued to provide opportunities for their youngest daughter to fall in love with the sport. They ran in local road races, including a tradition that brought the family together for a 5-mile race every Thanksgiving (the Madison Turkey Trot).

The family came to California more than 2 years ago, and shortly thereafter, Boudreau started running competitively with Cal Coast.

One thing that stunned Sumner the most in his early interaction with Boudreau was her knowledge of the sport. She began rattling off names of professional runners like Emma Coburn (world champion and national record-holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase) and USA Track and Field’s Brenda Martinez.

At practices, the other runners take notice of Boudreau’s commitment to training. Sumner says the other athletes marvel at the perfect form of her push-ups and her dedication to core workouts.

“What does she look like in six months?” Sumner mused. “I don’t think it’s going to be the same kid. I think it’s going to be a higher level kid.”

Dylen Cox, another freshman with considerable upside at CdM, is convinced that Boudreau’s drive will allow her to reach her goals.

“I’m learning that she’s really talented, and she can go wherever she wants with her heart,” Cox said. “I 100% believe in her that she can do good.”

Cox placed fifth in 18:03 in his first high school race at Laguna Hills.

Boudreau is getting her feet wet in cross-country. At the same time, she demonstrates a knowledge of what the target should be as she attempts to rise through the ranks. She looks up to Malibu’s Claudia Lane, the only girl to run under 17 minutes at last year’s state championship meet. Lane won the Division 4 title in 16:45.

Sumner also took it upon himself to point out Capistrano Valley’s Haley Herberg to Boudreau at the Laguna Hills Invitational. Herberg is among the top 10 returners in CIF State Division 2.

“I’m really excited,” Boudreau said. “I love competition. I love pushing myself to my limits, knowing that I’m working together with another competitor.”

Boudreau has yet to carve out a race strategy without looking at her wristwatch, but her comments are proof that the times are not the only thing on her mind. The competition may want to carry a rearview mirror, because Boudreau might not be there for long.

Annabelle Boudreau

Born: June 8, 2002

Hometown: Madison, Conn.

Height: 5 feet 4

Weight: 102 pounds

Sport: Cross-country

Year: Freshman

Coach: Bill Sumner

Favorite food: Pressed Juicery Freeze

Favorite movie: “Hidden Figures”

Favorite athletic moment: Her favorite athletic moment came when she ran the Cypress 5K Run over the summer, where she broke 18 minutes for the first time. Boudreau was fifth among female runners at the event, racing across the finish line in 17:56.

Andrew.Turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner